Method for making an enclosure

ABSTRACT

An enclosure for housing electrical equipment is disclosed. The enclosure is produced by thermoforming four separate pieces or bodies together to form the top and bottom of the enclosure. The enclosure is made of a moldable material, such as plastic or fiberglass.

This application is a divisional application of, and claims priority to,U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/890,003 filed on May 8, 2013, andentitled “Method for Making an Enclosure,” which is hereby incorporatedby reference. This application relates to the field of enclosures forelectrical components, and more particularly, to a method of making anenclosure for various telecommunications equipment by a thermoformingprocess.

BACKGROUND Field of the Application

Description of the Related Art

The New York City Department of Information Technology &Telecommunications (DoITT) is responsible for granting and administeringall telecommunications franchises for New York City. A franchise is acontract entered into by the City with a private entity for theprovision of a public service utilizing the City's streets and otherrights of way. Telecommunications franchises allow for the installationand maintenance of wire, cable, optical fiber, conduit, antennas andother structures on, over and under the City's streets to facilitate thetransmission of video, voice, and data.

DoITT has approved specifications and requirements for these electricalcomponents which must be followed by the franchises. One requirement foran enclosure for telecommunications equipment is that the enclosure bemade in a very specific size with specific shapes and details.

It would be beneficial in some applications for these enclosures to bemade of a radio-frequency (RF) transparent material, such as plastic orfiberglass, so an antenna could be placed within the enclosure. Plasticparts are typically either injection molded or thermoformed.Thermoforming is the preferred process, due to significantly reducedexpense, but the design required by DoITT requires the production ofoverlapping joints or transitions. These conditions are difficult toachieve without very specific and unique detailing of the cabinetinterior. Thus, there is a need to provide a process for constructingthese plastic enclosures.

These as well as other aspects and advantages will become apparent tothose of ordinary skill in the art by reading the following detaileddescription, with reference where appropriate to the accompanyingdrawings. Further, it should be understood that the embodimentsdescribed in this summary and elsewhere are intended to illustrate theinvention by way of example only.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, the present application provides a method of makingan enclosure for housing at least one electrical component. The methodincludes thermoforming a first shell from a moldable material,thermoforming a second shell from the moldable material, thermoforming afirst body from the moldable material, and thermoforming a second bodyfrom the moldable material. The method further includes securing thefirst body within the first shell to create a first part of theenclosure and securing the second body within the second shell to createa second part of the enclosure.

In another embodiment, a method of making and assembling an enclosurefor housing at least one electrical component is provided. The methodincludes vacuum forming a first shell from a plastic material, vacuumforming a second shell from the plastic material, vacuum forming a firstbody from the plastic material, and vacuum forming a second body fromthe plastic material. The method further includes securing the firstbody within the first shell to create a first part of the enclosure,securing the second body within the second shell to create a second partof the enclosure, and securing the first part to the second part.

In yet another embodiment, an apparatus for housing at least oneelectrical component is disclosed. The apparatus includes a top parthaving a first plastic inner body attached to a first plastic outershell and a bottom part having a second plastic inner body attached to asecond plastic outer shell. The second inner body includes a base withupwardly extending side walls and the second outer shell includes a basewith upwardly extending side walls. The second inner body is positionedwithin the second outer shell such that the walls of the second innerbody are positioned within the walls of the second outer shell. Thesecond inner body also includes a lip that extends downwardly from theupwardly extending walls. The upwardly extending walls of the secondouter shell are positioned between the upwardly extending walls of thesecond inner body and the lip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described herein withreference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an embodiment of an enclosure of thepresent application.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the enclosure.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the enclosure along line B-B shownin FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the assembled enclosure shown in FIG. 1in an open position.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the assembled enclosure shown in FIG. 1in a closed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present application is directed to an enclosure which may be usedfor housing electrical equipment, such as antennas, transformers,routers, network interface devices, and/or wireless access points, forexample. Other electrical equipment may be provided within theenclosures as well. The antennas may be used for mobiletelecommunications services. As mentioned above, certain specificationsand configurations are required by DoITT for the specific design of boththe antennas and the enclosures associated with the antennas. Thepresent application describes a method for making an enclosure from amoldable material using a thermoforming process, which conforms to thespecifications and configurations of DoITT.

Turning now to the Figures, an enclosure 100 in accordance with thepresent application is shown in FIG. 1. The enclosure 100 may include afirst or top outer shell 102 and a second or bottom outer shell 104. Thetop outer shell 102 includes a base 101 with downwardly extending sidewalls 103, and the bottom outer shell 104 includes a base 105 withupwardly extending side walls 107. The top shell 102 may include aplurality of vents 119, and the bottom shell 104 may also include aplurality of vents 120, as required by the DoITT specifications.

The top shell 102 may further include a first or top inner body 106positioned within the top shell 102. Similarly, the bottom shell 104 mayfurther include a second or bottom inner body 108 positioned within thebottom shell 104. The top inner body 106 includes a base 109 withdownwardly extending walls 110, and the bottom inner body 108 includes abase 111 with upwardly extending walls 113. The bottom inner body 108may include a lip 115. The lip 115 creates a back plane for the curve ofthe bottom outer shell 104, so that the walls of the enclosure 100 areweather resistant without any gaps exposing the interior of theenclosure 100 to the exterior. A gasket 117 may also be located betweenthe top inner body 106 and the bottom inner body 108. The gasket 117 maybe made of rubber to create a weather tight seal to protect theenclosure 100 from the elements.

The enclosure 100, including the top and bottom shells 102, 104 and thetop and bottom inner bodies 106, 108, may be made from a moldablematerial, such as plastic or fiberglass, for example. Other moldablematerials may be used as well. In some embodiments, the moldablematerial is constructed such that the material allows radio-frequency(RF) signals to be transmitted in and out of the enclosure 100.

The enclosure 100 is formed by thermoforming the top and bottom outershells 102, 104, as well as the top inner body 106 and the bottom innerbody 108. In one example, the components are formed by vacuum forming.In some embodiments, other thermoforming methods may also be used, suchas pressure forming, for example.

After the shells 102, 104 and the bodies 106, 108 are each formedindividually, the top inner body 106 is secured within the top outershell 102 to create a first or top part 112 of the enclosure 100, andthe bottom inner body 108 is secured within the bottom outer shell 104to create a second or bottom part 114 of the enclosure, which can bebest seen in FIG. 3. In one embodiment, the bodies 106, 108 are securedwithin the respective shells 102, 104 by adhesive, such as an industrialstrength glue, for example. However, it should be understood that thebodies 106, 108 may be secured within the respective shells 102, 104 byany suitable securing means.

Once the first and second parts 112, 114 of the enclosure are assembled,a fastening mechanism 116 may be used to secure the first part 112 tothe second part 114. In one embodiment, the fastening mechanism 116 maycomprise a hinge which may be secured to the top outer shell 102 and thebottom outer shell 104 by a plurality of screws 118. However, it shouldbe understood that the two parts may be secured together by any suitablefastening mechanism.

The enclosure 100 may further include a locking mechanism to lock theenclosure. In one embodiment, the locking mechanism may comprise a latch122, 124, as shown in FIG. 1. The latch may include a first or topportion 122 secured to the top shell 102 by a plurality of fasteners123, and a second or bottom portion 124 secured to the bottom shell 104by a plurality of fasteners 125. In operation, when the two parts 112,114 of the enclosure 100 are closed together, the latch locks theenclosure. To open the enclosure 100, the latch may be unlocked by akey, for example. In alternate embodiments, other suitable lockingmechanisms may be used.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the top and cross-sectional views of theenclosure 100 are shown. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the top inner body106 is secured within the top outer shell 102 and the bottom inner body108 is secured within the bottom outer shell 104. Further, it can beseen that the outer shells 102, 104 do not abut each other when theenclosure is in a closed position, per the requirements of the DoITTspecifications. Thus, the lip 115 of the bottom inner body 108 isexposed to the exterior.

FIG. 3 also shows front space 124 and back space 126 that exist betweenthe outer shells 102, 104 and the inner bodies 106, 108. The spaces 126,128 are formed when the inner bodies 106, 108 are secured within the topshells 102, 104.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the enclosure 100 is shown in an open position,with the bodies 106, 108 secured within their respective top and bottomshells 102, 104, and after the two parts 112, 114 of the enclosure havebeen secured together. Electrical equipment may be located in variouspositions within the enclosure 100.

FIG. 5 shows the enclosure 100 with the bodies 106, 108 secured withintheir respective top and bottom shells 102, 104, and in a closed andlocked position.

While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed, other aspectsand embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Thevarious aspects and embodiments provided in this disclosure are forpurposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with thetrue scope being indicated by the following claims, along with the fullscope of equivalents to which the claims are entitled.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for housing at least one electricalcomponent, the apparatus comprising: a top part being comprised of afirst plastic inner body attached to a first plastic outer shell; abottom part being comprised of a second plastic inner body attached to asecond plastic outer shell; wherein the second inner body comprises abase with upwardly extending side walls and the second outer shellcomprises a base with upwardly extending side walls; wherein the secondinner body is positioned within the second outer shell such that thewalls of the second inner body are positioned within the side walls ofthe second outer shell; wherein the second inner body includes a lipthat extends downwardly from the upwardly extending side walls; andwherein the lip is positioned within the upwardly extending side wallsof the base of the second outer shell.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the first inner body comprises a base with downwardly extendingside walls and the first outer shell comprises a base with downwardlyextending side walls; and wherein the first inner body is positionedwithin the first outer shell such that the walls of the first inner bodyare positioned within the walls of the first outer shell.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 2, wherein there is a first space located between thefirst inner body and the first outer shell and a second space locatedbetween the second inner body and the second outer shell.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the first inner body and first outer shellare vacuum formed, and the second inner body and second outer shell arevacuum formed.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein adhesive is used toattach the first inner body to the first outer shell and the secondinner body to the second outer shell.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the first inner body comprises a base with downwardly extendingside walls and the first outer shell comprises a base with downwardlyextending side walls, and wherein the first inner body is positionedwithin the first outer shell such that the walls of the first inner bodyare positioned within the walls of the first outer shell.
 7. Theapparatus of claim 6, wherein the lip is also positioned within thedownwardly extending walls of the first outer shell when the first outershell is in a closed position with respect to the second outer shell. 8.The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the lip is exposed to an exterior ofthe enclosure when the when the first outer shell is in a closedposition with respect to the second outer shell.
 9. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the first inner body is positioned within the firstouter shell to form a double-walled top part of the enclosure; andwherein the second inner body is positioned within the second outershell to form a double-walled bottom part of the enclosure.